Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Welcome once again fellow progheads! Like most of you (I hope), I have been enjoying the short window of fun that is summer. Taking an extra week to travel around in my search for all things prog has led me to some surprising places to hear some astounding prog...and this past fortnight has been no different. Fourteen days may seem like a lot but they certainly seem to melt away quickly when one is caught up in this much pleasure. Once again I find myself in the UK--they seem to have a solid grasp on this whole prog thing--enjoying the sounds of The Inner Road.

The Inner Road are a self-described ..."symphonic instrumental prog rock band..." Hmmm...attention-grabbing if nothing else. Symphonic can mean so many different things to so many different people. Many a forgetful pop tune had a "symphonic" lead-in and/or fade-out. The Inner Road has managed to raise the ante a bit though...Steve Cresswell is the founder and lead songwriter of the band, and I am certain many a prog fan remembers Coalition, from whose ashes The Inner Road has risen. We can discuss that further in the Liner Notes; for now let's just have a listen...

With a band like The Inner Road it is difficult not to start out grand, so I jump right into this week's prog buffet with a song called "Ascension." Darkness falls over the mood as the the song opens with hints of Dream Theater and Opeth; I find myself waiting expectantly for the window curtains to blow in the breeze. Tensions mount as the mood builds on strong guitars, keyboards, and drums. This is an adult dose right from the start; The Inner Road truly know what it means to perform symphonic prog. As the bell tolls you think the song is winding down...but wait! Another thrashing for the inner lining of your cranium is about to unleash itself. The guitar work on this song is absolutely stunning--crisp as fresh carrots pulled from the garden while striking from six different directions a la Bill Nelson from his Be Bop Deluxe days. It will be hard to top this, but I have to try, right?

Serving number two is a tune called "Two Worlds Two Tomorrows." Once again The Inner Road leaps right at you like a 3-D movie. The guitars and keyboards blend so well you can't pull them apart, and the drums are not so much the glue holding it all together as they are the foundation from which everything else feels at ease to bound freely. TWTT goes through so many time and tempo changes I feel dizzy. The sound is consistently large but you get this feeling right from the start that The Inner Road pays extremely close attention to every detail. I get a Liquid Tension Experiment/Atomic Rooster mind meld feel from this piece..so if you ever wondered what a Jordan Rudess/Keith Emerson merger would sound like...

OK, time for Liner Notes...The Inner Road was founded by Steve Gresswell, a name not unfamiliar in prog circles. Steve plays keyboards, produces, and is the main songwriter. As mentioned a paragraph or so ago, Steve has been around the prog scene for many years, previously in the band Coalition. Steve has also performed and collaborated with many prog artists, Bruno Pitch among them. Joining Steve is Jay Parmar on guitar and song writing duties. Another acclaimed and well seasoned musician in the prog world, Jay has performed with several musicians and artists, including Eden's Curse.

Mr. Gresswell brought The Inner Road to life after his stint with Coalition, needing an outlet for a more "symphonic style of instrumental prog." Bringing Jay into the fold worked out perfectly, as his guitar playing tends to lean toward the high-octane side of the prog garden while bringing intelligence and finesse along for the ride...think Robert Fripp's intellect coupled with Adrian Belew's innovation...

My final selection this week is a song called "Visions." Heavy-laden synthesizers hit you at the onset, and the song builds from there. I have this sense of tranquility--almost a soothing serenity--for the first two minutes. The tempo picks up a bit as the drums and guitar kick into higher gear. Visions is as upbeat and bright as Ascension is dark...but don't let that stop you from digging into either piece. The Inner Road has many side streets and I believe now would be a good time to start traversing them.

The clip posted below is called "Flight Through Eternity." As I have come to expect this week there is a huge dose of keyboards and guitars throughout as Steve and Jay attempt to outplay each other. That is not to imply any tension between the two--quite the contrary. These two two stellar musicians bring out the best in each other in a musical "sibling rivalry" of sorts. But enough commentary; just enjoy...

The Inner Road takes the term "symphonic prog" very seriously...their sound is extremely full, loud, and thought provoking. The Inner Road manage to channel Patrick Moraz and Keith Emerson while simultaneously finding their inner Alan Parsons Project meets 10cc...quite a mosaic to say the least, and just a skimming of the surface as to who The Inner Road is. The Inner Road leads to a section of the prog garden especially tilled for symphonic mastery...learn more about The Inner Road athttp://www.inner-road.com/

OK fellow progheads; time to sit back, listen, and reflect--something we have long been accused of enjoying a bit too much over the years I suspect. Progressive music has taken on many forms, definitions, and "alternative style adjustments"--a term I picked up in an online discussion recently. Although I am not sure it was ever defined to the satisfaction of those involved at the time, I believe I am starting to get it. Like so many things today, prog is evolving. As new fans discover progressive music, new expectations arise as to what it should be and how it should sound. Approached with an open mind this discussion/argument can lead to many as-of-yet-undiscovered innovations in prog...let the listener decide which to keep and which to pass. So I will take this discovery as an opportunity to expand my search for all things prog and continue my journey...back in two weeks...

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Thanks for coming back fellow progheads! A two week hiatus to soak up some summer fun and search the earth for all things prog was just what the doctor ordered...I am refreshed and ready to dive back into the blogosphere...which leads me to this week's review...

Having spent a fortnight unwinding, relaxing, and listening to many different prog sounds and styles, I found my ears being drawn toward one band in particular that has a distinctive sound, lots of energy, and plays prog with a bit of an attitude. All this pent up vigor after taking a week off has led me to the UK once again as I bask in the sounds of A Formal Horse.

A Formal Horse describe themselves as "...Stravinsky with roid rage." I defy any prog fan to hear that sentence and not feel their ears perk up... just a teeny tiny bit. Hence my curiosity meter throwing the needle to the red zone almost immediately. Apparently A Formal Horse carved out their section of the prog garden with a classical chainsaw. A Formal Horse considers their sound caught in a range between "King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra...with influences from Bartok and Bon Iver..." Always a plus when a band challenges your musical intellect...perhaps I should play King Crimson's "Lizard" immediately following for some prog tete-a-tete...

Moving to the buffet with a an extra giddyup in my step (sorry...couldn't resist) my first taste this week is a song called "Sexbooth." The piece opens smooth enough; nice mellow guitar work and soothing bass...not exactly the "roid rage" I was expecting--and then the :40 mark hit with a flourish. The tempo and mood swing came on faster than one of Sybil's alter-egos. A Formal Horse went from high school band class to a warm up act for Fire Garden in less than a minute--yet were able to sustain a sense of classical dignity. I imagine the band in tuxedos and evening gowns while hammering away in a smoke filled nightclub...

Selection number two is a tune called "I Lean." With a bass line reminiscent of John Wetton, this piece travels in true progressive fashion. Many time changes and attitude adjustments drive a spike right through the middle of the song. In addition to the Wetton bass line, I sense a touch of Spock's Beard sprinkled throughout. Hard driving drums and vocals so smooth you want to wrap yourself in them in while sitting on the beach at dusk...A Formal Horse may be Stravinsky with roid rage, but at least they never lose their prog poise...

Liner Notes...Originally from South Hampton UK, A Formal Horse recently released their self-titled debut EP. The line up at that time consisted of Emily Tulloh on lead vocals, Benjamin Short on guitar, Russell Mann on bass, and Mike Stringfellow on drums. Shortly after completing the EP, Emily left the band to pursue other interests and was replaced by Francesca Lewis. Despite the personnel change, A Formal Horse continues to perform live, build a fan base, and cultivate yet another new section of acreage in the prog garden. This is a band with many pluses; an exceptional debut release, a great sound, a genuine appreciation for the genre, and an uncanny ability to take all that, puree it into a frothy mass, and release it to the masses. Anyone who claims to value prog for what it is as much as for what it is not need listen to this EP. Think "Bang On A Can All Stars" with the Eno factor minus the scriptedness...

OK...on we go to serving number three from the buffet, "Rosensage." As soon as the music starts I feel as though I am running down a back alley trying to escape...though I'm not exactly sure from what. The guitar crawls inside your chest and proceeds to pound its way out. The drums carry the torch leading the way through your rib cage...A Formal Horse throws an Adrian Belew induced cacophony of sound through your headphones; something you will learn to appreciate many times over... Emily comes through once again with vocals smooth enough to bathe in and strong enough to cut glass.

The clip posted below for your listening pleasure this week is an abbreviated live version of "I Lean." I like the absolute simplicity of the setting and the raw sound that can only come from a live performance. Ignore the fact that the dude holding the camera had a bad case of the shakes and focus on the sound...you will be glad you did. Learn more about A Formal Horse at http://www.aformalhorse.com/. This post is but a two-minute teaser; hear more, and better yet purchase the EP, at http://aformalhorse.bandcamp.com/.

Well fellow progheads, hard to believe fourteen days zipped by that quickly. The summer heat is bearing down and I have but skimmed the surface of what prog has to offer the appreciative listener. A Formal Horse came at prog from an often missed angle; to take the music--but not themselves--seriously. From the opening riff to the final fade to black, A Formal Horse has poured incredible passion into their debut release. The idea of coming at prog from a classical point of view and pulling a bootlegger's turn so abruptly makes for interesting listening...and marvelous music. A Formal Horse is a musically intellectual kick-in-the-cerebellum. I know there must be more prog brain teasers out there...and I am going to follow my new summer tradition and take two weeks to scope one out, so until July 29th...

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Happy Tuesday fellow progheads, and welcome once again to the Concert Closet. While enjoying the summer is high on my to-do list right now, sitting back idly is not my preferred method of soaking in all those cancer-laden sun rays...time to put on my travelling shoes once again and head for previously untrodden territory. With nothing more than a Google map and a new location pin to mark my excursion, I head for Finland and the captivating sounds of Moonwagon.

Moonwagon is a "...Finnish progressive rock band with psychedelic/space rock influences..." Think Spock's Beard meets Atomic Rooster in Syd Barrett's attic and you're almost there. Even the name evokes 60's imagery, much like the Strawberry Alarm Clock or Electric Prunes. But the similarities end there, as Moonwagon takes progressive music into a stratosphere not exactly packed with Traffic...but the perfect place to begin this week's journey so let us touch down slowly. The band has two releases out for your listening pleasure; 2010's "Nightdust" and the album I will be reviewing this week, "Foyers of the Future" released in 2012.

As is my wont, I start this week with the opening cut, "Elsewhere." The song opens to strong drums; I have an initial feel of a marching band...until the keyboards and guitars chime in and lift the song to the cosmos. Pink Floyd and King Crimson enjoying a "casual jam session" sets the mood; now you just need a black light and a lava lamp. Moonwagon hits all the right notes on this tune...everything flows together while building on itself. There is a plethora of sound by the time the eight-minute mark is reached yet it feels as if I am only three minutes into the piece. An absolutely marvelous beginning to my seven day Finnish sojourn...

My second selection this week is a song called "Shadows Whisper Fire." Moonwagon lives up to their self-described style here...an absolute gem of a space-prog tune. I pick up extreme hints of Yes in their "Gates of Delirium" days, and some early Genesis. Once again all the pieces fit together like the varietals in a magnificent vintage wine. The time changes give a subtle aural slap to the inner ear...Moonwagon walks to the center of the prog garden and proceeds to put down roots that shoot off in every direction; pulling the music to the outer edges of the progressive realm. Listening to this song takes me back to the days when I first started listening to progressive music...every groove on the vinyl disc was an adventure. Before this tune ends you will feel certain you just had an out-of-body experience...

Liner Notes...Moonwagon is Jani Korpi on drums and percussion,12-string acoustic guitar, and vocals, Joni Tiala on electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, dulcimer, melodica, and vocals, and Janne Ylikorpi on bass and acoustic piano. Ami Hassinen is credited with synthesizers, keyboards, effects, and vocals on this week's album feature; however I understand Ami is no longer a member of the band.

Moonwagon started in 2008, cultivating a sound that is incredibly unique. With one foot planted in psychedelia and the other leaping into the future, Moonwagon has succeeded in carving out a plot in the prog garden that is not only heretofore untilled--it goads the listener to try and define it. Too easy are the labels retro, throwback, space-like, or acid rock. Moonwagon prefers you take your best shot at "genre identification" so they can push the boundary in eight directions at once. The more I listen to Moonwagon the more I feel their sense of loyalty and respect for the bands that tilled the original prog soil--yet their sound is so much more than a simple tribute.

My final selection from this amazing prog buffet is a song called "Through the Veil of Rain." Once again Moonwagon finds a previously unopened door through which to enter your head. The tune opens mellow and easy, like a Georgia sun shower...and starts to hit a bit harder on the strength of Joni's guitar. Of course the synthesizers and percussion cloud your memory as to exactly which decade/century you are currently in. Hints of Golden Earring and Alan Parsons Project float through this piece like so many lasers at the Whiskey A Go Go circa 1968...

I also chose "Through the Veil of Rain" as the video clip to post this week. Although I normally prefer to choose a different cut to post than the tunes reviewed, I just feel that the eleven-plus minutes encapsulated here are the best introduction one can get to the past, present, and future of progressive music. I recommend playing this cut with headphones and a snifter of really good Terva liqueur...learn more about Moonwagon at https://www.facebook.com/Moonwagonband/timeline.

Thank you fellow progheads for joining me on this week's excursion. Moonwagon was more than just seven days spent listening to prog music--it was time travel through my stereo. This is a band capable of bringing you to the outer reaches of the prog galaxy and the beginning of the prog universe in just one song. Moonwagon pays the ultimate homage to its mentors by taking the entire genre to a new level. The kicker is they do it the "the old-fashion way;" oozing implausible sounds from classic instruments. Moonwagon's appreciation and respect for their music and craft is as unmistakable as their sound.

Time once again to pack up and continue my global trek in search of all things prog...and in so doing I am taking the concert closet for some much needed rest and relaxation. I will return in a fortnight--that is two weeks time to those who mark the calendar. This will allow me the privilege of scouting out bands even farther on the edge of the prog garden in lands I have yet to discover. I am eager for the opportunity to both soak up some summer and some prog...until July 15th...